Seating structures



March 10, 1964 o. F. MACLAREN SEATING STRUCTURES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 6, 1962 INVENTOR 71 My Wat/Q re) ATTORNEYS M h 10, 19 4 o. F. MACLAREN SEATING STRUCTURES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 6, 1962 mlvslvfop March 10, 1964 o. F. MACLAREN SEATING STRUCTURES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 6, 1962 INVENTOR m 7% r m m %T .w HYN M aw United States Patent 3,124,387 SEATING STRUCTURES Owen Finlay Maclaren, Arnold House, Barby, near Rugby, England Filed Sept. 6, 1962, Ser. No. 221,822 2 Claims. (Cl. 29716) This invention relates to seating structures and is particularly concerned with folding chairs of the kind forming the subject of prior British Patents Nos. 666,871 and 816,179, wherein the chair legs when the chair is folded are brought together into close parallel or substantially parallel relationship, the chair seat and back being composed of a fabric or like flexible material.

The chief object of the invention is to evolve an improved form of seating structure and particularly a seating structure suitable for inclusion in a chair of the above type.

A further object of the invention is to evolve an improved construction of folding chair incorporating such a seating structure and which will be much lighter than the folding chairs previously proposed.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent as this specification proceeds.

A seating structure in accordance with the present invention comprises two laterally spaced catenary cord or other flexible members attached at their extremities to fixed supports and carrying between them a seat proper composed of a woven fabric or other suitable flexible material, the sides of the seat proper being shaped to conform to the natural curvature of the cords under load coniditions.

According to a further feature of the invention a folding chair incorporating such a seating structure includes fore and aft pairs of crossed frame members, the members of each pair being pivotally connected together at their crossing points, the fore and aft frame members being connected by two pairs of laterally arranged crossed bracing members, the members of each pair being likewise pivotally connected at their crossing points and pivotally connected at their extremities to the frame members, the fore and aft pairs of frame members being connected by flexible arm rests, the frame members and/or bracing members carrying the flexible seating structure and a flexible back rest.

According to a still further feature of the invention the upper ends of the aft frame members form or carry handle shaped portions which when the chair is folded lie adjacent one another and together provide a carrying handle.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the chair;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevation;

FIGURE 3 is a view of the chair folded; and

FIGURES 4, and 6 are fragmentary perspective views showing constructional details.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the frame and bracing members are constructed from lengths of light weight metal tubing and are connected together by suitable metal brackets.

The chair frame includes a pair of front crossing frame members 1 pivotally connected together at 2 and a pair of rear frame members 3 pivotally connected together at 4 and two pairs of laterally spaced bracing members 5 the bracing members of each pair being pivotally connected at 6 The bracing members 5 are pivotally connected at 7 to angle brackets 8 which in turn are pivotally connected to the fore and aft frame members 1 and 3 at 9.

Frame members 1 and 3 are provided with feet at their lower ends in the form of rubber or plastic rollers 10.

3,124,387 Patented Mar. 10, 1964 The rear frame members 3 are extended upwardly and at their upper ends carry plastic or other suitable forwardly directed handles 11 which can be grasped by the hands when folding or unfolding the chair, the handles when the chair is folded into the position shown in FIG- URE 3 lying sufiiciently close together to enable them to be grasped by the fingers of one hand to form a combined handle so that the chair in its folded condition can be easily carried and if desired used as a walking stick. The aft frame members also carry between them a substantially triangular shaped piece of fabric 12 or similar flexible material forming a back rest.

The seat includes a pair of catenary cord members 13 consisting preferably of lengths of webbing which are curved in plan view and side elevation and are sewn or otherwise secured to the fabric or similar seat surface 14, the lateral edges of the surface 14 being similarly curved.

To obtain the required curvature of the webbing, members 13 each may comprise two lengths of webbing which intersect at an angle and are stitched together in overlapping relationship,

The members 13 may pass around metal plates 15 associated with the front and rear frame members 1 and 3 as shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 and secured by mushroom headed nuts 16. The webbing is continued to provide an armrest 17.

When folded the chair can be maintained in its folded condition by an elastic strap 18 secured to one of the frame members, the strap being fitted with a ring 19 which can be engaged with a hook 20 also carried by the strap.

To fold the chair the handles are brought together causing the frame and bracing members to be moved about their pivotal points into a position in which they lie almost but not quite parallel with each other.

To unfold the chair the strap is released and the handles grasped by the right and left hand, the handles being moved apart in opposite directions until the chair is unfolded and ready for use.

Alternatively the material forming the seat or back may be provided with a ring and hook whereby the material can be wrapped around the chair frame when folded and secured, thus enabling the frame and bracing members to be brought closer together when the chair is folded.

The seating structure as hereinbefore described can be applied alternatively to a childs push chair or an invalid chair or carriage, the seating structure in either case including a pair of catenary cord members anchored to the frame of the push chair, invalid chair or carriage, the cords carrying between them a fabric or similar type of seat proper.

I claim:

1. A folding chair comprising a frame consisting of a front pair of vertical crossing frame members and a rear pair of vertical crossing frame members, said front frame members being pivotally connected to each other adjacent their crossing points, said rear frame members being pivotally connected to each other adjacent their crossing points, two side pairs of crossing brace members spaced laterally of each other, each of said side pairs being pivotally connected at their crossing points, said side pairs of bracing members being pivotally connected at their upper and lower ends to the upper and lower ends respectively of said front and rear frame members, said side pairs of brace members having their lower ends disposed inwardly of their upper ends so said side pairs are disposed in planes converging inwardly and toward each other adjacent the lower portion of said brace members, said rear frame members being substantially longer than said front frame members and extending upwardly a greater distance than said front frame members to provide a back rest support, a flexible back rest connected between the rear frame members, flexible arm rests connected between said front and rear frame members, a pair of catenary cord seat support members, one of said cord members having its ends connected between the front and rear frame members on the other side of said chair, said catenary members being disposed in lateral alignment with each other and disposed to curve downwardly with respect to a horizontal plane and curve inwardly with respect to a vertical plane, and a flexible seat having substantially parallel front and rear edges and curved side edges corresponding to the curvature of said cord members, each of said curved side edges being secured to one of said cord members.

2. A folding chair comprising a frame including a pair of front crossing frame members, a pair of rear crossing frame members, the frame members of each pair being pivotally connected at their crossing points, two laterally spaced pairs of crossing bracing members, pivotally connected at their upper and lower extremities to the parts of the frame members lying above and below their crossing points, the bracing members of each pair being piv otally connected at their crossing points, the bracing members in front and rear elevation converging downwardly, the said rear frame members projecting upwardly above said front frame members to form a back rest support,

a flexible back rest connecting the upper parts of said rear frame members together, flexible arm rests connecting said rear and front frame members and a rectangular flexible seat supported at its corners by said rear and front frame members, the lateral edges of said seat being curved and being secured to a pair of catenary cord members which are curved inplan view and side elevation and are secured at their extremities to said rear and front frame members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A FOLDING CHAIR COMPRISING A FRAME CONSISTING OF A FRONT PAIR OF VERTICAL CROSSING FRAME MEMBERS AND A REAR PAIR OF VERTICAL CROSSING FRAME MEMBERS, SAID FRONT FRAME MEMBERS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER ADJACENT THEIR CROSSING POINTS, SAID REAR FRAME MEMBERS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER ADJACENT THEIR CROSSING POINTS, TWO SIDE PAIRS OF CROSSING BRACE MEMBERS SPACED LATERALLY OF EACH OTHER, EACH OF SAID SIDE PAIRS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT THEIR CROSSING POINTS, SAID SIDE PAIRS OF BRACING MEMBERS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT THEIR UPPER AND LOWER ENDS TO THE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS RESPECTIVELY OF SAID FRONT AND REAR FRAME MEMBERS, SAID SIDE PAIRS OF BRACE MEMBERS HAVING THEIR LOWER ENDS DISPOSED INWARDLY OF THEIR UPPER ENDS SO SAID SIDE PAIRS ARE DISPOSED IN PLANES CONVERGING INWARDLY AND TOWARD EACH OTHER ADJACENT THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID BRACE MEMBERS, SAID REAR FRAME MEMBERS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LONGER THAN SAID FRONT FRAME MEMBERS AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY A GREATER DISTANCE THAN SAID FRONT FRAME MEMBERS TO PROVIDE A BACK REST SUPPORT, A FLEXIBLE BACK REST CONNECTED BETWEEN THE REAR FRAME MEMBERS, FLEXIBLE ARM RESTS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID FRONT AND REAR FRAME MEMBERS, A PAIR OF CATENARY CORD SEAT SUPPORT MEMBERS, ONE OF SAID CORD MEMBERS HAVING ITS ENDS CONNECTED BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR FRAME MEMBERS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID CHAIR, 